The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-01-28

Il NV NAoLh
grasped wildly at the air, and then
there was a fall.
The water deluged Muriel with a
shower Of drops as the body entered
the water. Shouts and the eXultant re-
treating voices held her attention until
she felt something creeping into the boat
behind her.
She turned and uttered a faint
shrek.
A man, and more than LAely the
murderer. had taken possession of her
little craft.
Give me the oars" said a stern,
musical voice.
You are not wounded, then" she
said, shrinking away from the dripping
figure.
II am not wounded" returned the
voice, and then silently the boat was
rOwed into the deepest shadows and up
| the stream.
Moment after moment crept by.
The moon went down, darkness fell
entirely over the sluggish waves of the
river, and yet the strange pair were
silent.
The high banks disappeared, the
stream grew narrower, and at length
the stranger drew the boat close up to
the shore.
Madam" said the figure, bending
close up to Muriel, "tcll me what you
think about this affair"
Il think that you have shot some
one," replied Muriel, awakening par
italy from the trance-like feeling
which had crept over her.
You are right. Tonight | became
the murderer of Fred. Warner"
Fred. Warner is my husband, and |
was on the river listening to his voice."
she said in the same calm tone.
You will listen to his voice no more.
The woman that he brought to Rocky
hill is my wife"
And then Muriel knew the name of
the man who had rowed her boat that
night.
1t was Ralph Resseguie, the banker
and the millionaire, whose home and
happiness her husband had ruined.
She had never met him before, but
she had heard often of his generosity
and of his great wealth.
God have mercy tonight Upon four
of his miserable creatures" she said
still calmly.
Three" corrected Resseguie, grim
ly. "Muriel Warner | know the entire
history of your life. l learned it while
l was hunting your husband down. |
ask no sympathy. have done a DELHI
crate murder. l do not wish you to
conceal the mode of my escape. Fred.
Warner was your husband. He would
have returned to you after a time. l
have made this impossible. You have
neither home nor friends. Ihave money,
the accursed stuff with which thought
my false wife. In a short time | shall
be hung for this murder. l have no
relatives upon whom to bestow my
wealth. 1t will all 90 to strangers.
Accept this packet, then; it is yours to
do with as you think best, and l cannot
but be thankful for the chance which
has thrown you in my way"
A packet dropped into Muriel Warn
er's lap as these words were spoken.
The boat rocked slightly as the tall fig
ure sprang upon the shore, and then
she was alone in the darkness upon the
river.
After this she wandered about the
world, q woman whose life and feel
ings seemed benumbed forever. She
knew what had happened at Rocky hill,
but she had no desire to return there
and gaze upon the dead face Of her
husband. She had no wish to return
to the friends who had grown cold
when misfortune come upon her. She
knew that Ralph Resseguie had made
her a wealthy woman, but she felt none
of the scruples which she once would
have felt about accepting his money.
She never spoke of that night in the
boat with any 10 whom she came in
contact.
She never heard whether Ralph Res
seguie was captured or not. She never
knew what became of his miserable
wife.
Her past life seemed a half forgotten
dream, and she was only dimly con-
scious of the reality of anything.
At t~hirty-fve years of age Muriel
Warner was a beautiful and cultured
woman. She had visited nearly all the
countries of the Old World. Acquaint-
ances she made, but never friends. and
these often wondered when in reply to
their inquiries she would say:
81 never read a newspaper. never
write nor receive a letter.
But her time Of awakening came,
and the one to stir the dormant emo
tons Of her woman's heart was {
stranger, n a man.
1t was at the Bahama Island where
she first met Norman Van Ness.
He was forty years Of age--a Her
cules in the fullness Of his manhood
and h. seemed to be attracted, nay, u
love Ler from the very first.